


You Make Live To A Love

by oblivmeye



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Compliant, Confessions, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Sanji's pov mostly so expect quite a bit of mixed signals even to himself, it's all very soft, it's them so i don't expect too much verbal communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 08:48:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30137010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oblivmeye/pseuds/oblivmeye
Summary: Sanji just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that after everything they have gone through together, virtual strangers have more intimacy with Zoro than his supposed best friend in the crew and there's visible proof of that. He wasn't jealous or something, che, who has the time to get jealous over stupid marimos, he is just- just surprised.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 16
Kudos: 84





	You Make Live To A Love

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is my first work in this fandom and just to make it clear i have no idea what i am doing, please treat me gently, thank you.  
> all the mistakes are mine and mine alone. english isn't my first language and i am writing something of this length after such a long time, so i am pretty sure there are plenty mistakes, please ignore them.  
> and a small song suggestion which i believe perfectly goes with the theme of this fic, "Trivia : Love" by BTS, title taken from the same song.  
> enjoy!
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/track/6aHCXTCkPiB4zgXKpB7BHS?si=cveqj34MTyyyCn5OjNeH-Q

Sanji doesn't know why but he just can't stop looking at him. The person in question is none other than his nakama, his rival, arguably his best friend (a fact which he would rather die than admit to another soul- it took a shichibukai, almost dying and a lot of introspection for him to even accept it to himself), the infamous demon of east blue and wannabe greatest swordsman Roronoa Zoro or in Sanji's colorful language- shitty swordsman.

The dynamic of their crew is different from the other pirate groups, has been since the very beginning and even among atypical, his relation with Zoro is much more unconventional. A fact that sometimes bother Sanji a lot because why among all the nakamas, his bond with that marimo stands out to such point that even their enemies know that Mugiwara pirate's Black-leg Sanji and Pirate-hunter Roronoa Zoro doesn't get along _at all_ but when together in battlefield they will raise hell on earth. Their relationship had started to change after thriller bark, after everything that happened that day it was very un-sanji like of him to not to confront the swordsman for his impulsive decision, for that blow on his side, like seriously who the hell does that shitty swordsman thinks he is to stop Sanji from doing _anything_ and interfere with his decisions. He absolutely fumed and raged the whole time Zoro was unconscious, mentally preparing himself to lash at him the moment he wakes up, oh yeah he didn't had a single doubt in his mind that Zoro would wake up, absolutely none, idiots don't die that easily but then when he finally did, Sanji did nothing. There was no conversation, no discussion, not a single vague reference regarding what happened from any of them- Sanji kept doing his job and Zoro, well he was banned from doing most of the things he usually does by Chopper so he just slept. And if Sanji accidentally cooked Zoro's favourite dishes daily which earned him a confusing look the first two times and then a soft understanding look on the third day from the mosshead and miraculously a gruff thank you on the fourth _and_ if Sanji's wake-up-kicks for Zoro were a bit on softer side then those were just some unrelated incidents, nothing to be concerned about.

Then the two year separation happened, Sanji went through his personal hell but he returned wiser, stronger and more matured, above petty rivalry because certainly he had surpassed his rival now, please Zoro didn't even stand a chance against his new techniques and then that mosshead emerged in front of him from deep ocean, cutting a galleon ship in half because he couldn't be bothered with nuisence even though his directionless ass was the one creating this inconvenience at the first place but who will argue about that with him? And Sanji realized two facts simultaneously- Zoro has gotten stronger too and the weird ache he had been carrying around his chest for past two years was suddenly gone. Well given how desperately he has been missing all his nakamas and unfortunately Zoro was the first one he met, he could obviously chalk it up to just that, meeting-nakama-after-longass-time-euphoria but if he was honest to himself he knew it's not only just that. If the past two years has taught him anything it's to be true to himself (that he always has been) and accepting that truth (this is the new lesson), so yes Sanji was ecstatic and absolutely bursting with joy, internally of course, he would never let that marimo know how his stoic ugly mug had made him the happiest man in grand line back then. He carefully filed that particular thought as to why HE made Sanji so happy and why Sanji was suddenly feeling a ton less lighter for another day, that's future Sanji's problem, present Sanji just wanted to enjoy the day.

Everything after that moment went downhill and chaotic, very mugiwara-brand of course and Sanji enjoyed every moment of it, he missed this, he missed his nakama, he missed his ever energetic captain, there was a never dull moment with Luffy and Sanji just let himself flow through the moments. Fishman island and Punk hazard island passed in such a rush Sanji didnt even have enough time to catch his breath let alone think about complicated relationship stuff and complexity of his own mind and truth to be told, his and Zoro's relation had revert back to their old bickering, taunting and clashing, gone was that soft layer of emotions that added an extra strong thread in their bonding rope right after thriller bark, so Sanji had almost convinced himself that he had been imagining things, almost.

Currently, they have four new guests on their ship, albeit one is their prisoner but eh, semantics, anyway two among three are swordsmen and of course Zoro being the complete sword-freak he is, he is getting along with them splendidly! In all these time together Sanji has never seen Zoro so free and friendly with anyone except their crew members and not even all because Zoro is just like that, he is _Zoro_ , he doesn't do friendly if it's not Luffy or Chopper _or_ that's what Sanji used to think. But this new Zoro turned his perception of world upside down. Zoro discussing with Kine'mon about his firefox technique, about wano-land of samurai, showing his own swords and sharing stories behind how he got them-- all this was just too much for Sanji to take. He couldn't believe that Zoro, marimo, that shitty swordsman was capable enough to hold a conversation longer than five minutes with practically a stranger and the fact that he even wanted to. Why Zoro never bothered to share his sword stories with him? Okay Sanji isn't a swordsman and he doesn't go all giddy over a shiny blade but he talks about his cooking? he explains in details how he made one particular dish with which spices and vegetables and how that is so refreshing and energetic and different from others, okay may be he doesn't directly share all these with just Zoro but more towards a general direction of audience but Zoro is always nearby, Sanji makes sure he is. He does that even though Zoro is no cook and has no interest is Sanji's cooking then why won't Zoro?

Then he saw Zoro interacting with Trafalgar Law and Sanji had to visibly take a step back at the easy understanding flowing between them. Heart pirate's captain was Luffy's newest friend, their ally and apparently Zoro's kindred spirit. They both would sit together a bit far from the crowd on deck where rest of the crew were creating ruckus, would talk in whispers, share sake and would even have the same exasparated expression on their face at the crew's antics. Sanji couldn't remember the last time he shared a drink with the swordsman, despite having feasts almost everyday and whispered secrets? Has Zoro ever shared anything with Sanji voluntarily? Sanji wrecks his head in bewilderment because he really can't remember even a moment when that happened. Whatever he knew about Zoro was from his own observation and from other crew members. The thought was mind boggling. Law has trouble sleeping and the first night Sanji found him on sunny's deck wandering after almost everyone was asleep, only Zoro was awake on crow's nest as it was his scheduled night watch, he was just about to offer the man a drink and some snack when he heard Zoro's voice calling Law and he saw in bafflement as Law climbed his way to crow's nest. Sanji spent the whole night standing at the corner of the little balcony in front of galley, smoking cigarettes after cigarettes, eyes fixed to crow's nest. This was, used to be Sanji's privilege, at the beginning when animosity between them wasn't this high- when did that change - and why is Law now the one being allowed to share Zoro's private space and time with him? How could another stranger get so much closer to Zoro in just these few days and why can't Sanji? Is it Sanji's fault?

Sanji just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that after everything they have gone through together, virtual strangers have more intimacy with Zoro than his supposed best friend in the crew and there's visible proof of that. He wasn't jealous or something, che, who has the time to get jealous over stupid marimos, he is just- just surprised.

Now, at present, Sanji can't stop looking at Zoro and trust him he tried, he tried his level best to not let that cabbage-head get the best of him and occupy his mind all day-all night but he failed and miserably at that. He couldn't stop looking at Zoro and notice how he treats everyone around him, from nakama to his new "friends" that he made and compare that with himself. He had never for once thought that Zoro actually hated him, they have always argued and fought but that was just how his friendship with Zoro was because in his mind the swordsman was someone incapable of having normal human relationship so he translated their fights and curses as Zoro's way of friendship but now, this new side of Zoro was forcing him to reevaluate everything he thought he knew about Zoro in a new light and what he found was just not _acceptable_. It can't be, it really can't be because if what Sanji is thinking is true then all the time when he thought of Zoro as his best friend, one of the most important person in his life, Zoro was just tolerating him because Sanji was nakama, chosen by Luffy and Sun may forget to rise from the east side but Zoro's loyalty to his captain is indisputable. The man was ready to sacrifice his life, his dream, his promise to his dead friend for Luffy, what is tolerating a mere idiot like Sanji compared to that! And this realization absolutely crushed Sanji. He didn't know why he was so bothered to find that Zoro doesn't personally consider him as someone worthy of being his friend. It was a bit insulting, yah! hurtful, sure! But this bone-crushing pain Sanji was feeling everytime he looked at Zoro was just ridiculous. Zoro wasn't a beautiful lady like Nami or Robin, it shouldn't matter what that algae head thinks of him and Sanji keeps repeatedly telling himself that but what should he do about this suffocating feeling that constricts his chest everytime he catches Zoro with Kine'mon or Law. Sanji never held himself in high esteem. his cooking, sure, he was a damn good cook and he knew it and he never failed to show it but as a person, he wasn't worth much. Easily expendable and replaceable and he knew that too. But to be stripped naked to his core and facing his worthless reflection and realizing that he really is that below level of a human that Zoro, the one along with Luffy, who inspired him to chase after his own foolish dream, the one he secretly admired, respected and cared for thought nothing of him and may be actually hated him and his presence- was so sickening that Sanji for the first time after leaving Baratie was questioning his own decision. Does he really have a place among them? Does he really belong here? He couldn't stop the barrage of thoughts that was plugging his mind every minute he spent thinking about Zoro which was funnily enough, _all the damn time_.

Sanji wasn't aware how his behaviour had changed drastically but observant members of his ship didn't miss the change in his demeanor. He cooked, cleaned, did laundry, performed all his tasks with the same care and consideration, flirted with his beautiful ladies but those who cared to see pass the superficial layer could easily feel that he wasn't himself. His heart wasn't there. He had built a shell around himself and completely hidden his entire being inside that. Nami and Robin tried their best, well as best as they could subtly without spooking Sanji further but no avail. The other two people on board who noticed Sanji's odd way of acting didn't try anything because one thought it wasn't his place and he trusted his nakamas to do the right thing and another, well the other one is an emotional ostrich who is used to bury his head under the sand while facing emotional crisis and hoping that the crisis will miraculously solve itself.

Hopeless really.

They have Doflamingo coming after them, picking random fight against warlords is nothing new to mugiwara pirates, they are use to it at this point. Night before reaching Dressrosa, after final meeting detailing their plan regarding Doflamingo and Caeser,and Law repeatedly trying to drill information into their carefree captain's head, when everyone finally left galley it was past midnight. Tonight was Sanji's watch and he was just preparing a warm drink for the long night ahead when galley door opened again with a light creak. Sanji instinctly got ready to kick a rubbery body trying to grab him from behind for food but nothing came, not even a sound of approaching footstep. Curious, Sanji throws a glance back and find Zoro leaning over wall beside the door, hands resting over his chest with his eye closed. Sanji felt a pang of sharp pain fleeting through his entire body at the distance between them. So apparently Sanji's presence is _so_ undesirable now that Zoro can't even be bothered to come close to anywhere near Sanji's vicinity, not even for retrieving his precious sake bottle. Sanji wanted to scream, insult him, taunt him- do _something_ to make a rise out of him but he did nothing. It was one thing when he thought mosshead- no not mosshead - "Zoro" considered him a friend but not now, not anymore. Dammit Sanji has some pride left.

He focused his attention back to the task in hand, filling thermoflask with hot coffee for his watch and silently started for the galley door with full intent to just avoid Zoro's presence altogether but apparently that's not on the agenda tonight.

A thudded clack sound that ringed too loud in his ear in the silent galley and Sanji is forced to look at Zoro in the eye, the man who is now currently blocking his exit with shusui's hilt. Without blinking or giving away his inner emotion, Sanji very calmly opens his mouth,

"I have night watch, i don't have time to entertain you."

"What's going on with you?"

The unexpected question throws Sanji off the loop. What now? Zoro asked him a personal question? But why? He never...Oh! Realization swept through him. Sanji hasn't fought with him in days, even if nothing between them was what Sanji thought it was, one thing was true that the swordsman enjoyed sparring with him. Sanji is a good fighter, he himself knew it and only he would fight with the idiot on this ship without holding himself back and Zoro needs to train, hone his skill, of course he was concerned why one of his training tool wasn't cooperating. A bitter laugh almost escapes Sanji but he successfully stopped it in the last moment but he couldn't entirely hide the flash of the same emotion in his eyes and Zoro's slightly widening eye confirmed that he has noticed that.

"Cook,,,"

"Not now shitty swordsman, i am tired and i have a long night of fun time ahead. I would put you in your place tomorrow, now move."

Sanji might not mean anything to Zoro but Zoro means a lot to him, he will try his best to aid the swordsman achieving his dream, no matter how miniscule his contributions are.

"Dammit cook, i am trying to talk here! why are you acting weird? Why aren't you YOU?"

Zoro was seething, his face contorting into puzzling emotions but Sanji neither have the time nor the patience to decipher them, he has had enough with his own so he spats back,

"What does that even mean? Have you completely lost it now algae brain? May be you hit your head,,,"

"Sanji!"

That one word, his name, Zoro addressing him by his actual name which he never ever did, well not in front of him at least, stunned him, left him speechless in the rarity of the moment.

"You are avoiding me. You can't share even a second alone in a room with me, always finding excuses to leave, you can't even look at me without flinching. Whenever i am around you act like you are going through some kind of torture and then rest of the time you are not even present here! Your body is here but not your mind, not-not YOU. What the fuck did i do?"

Zoro's single remaining eye boring holes in his face with pointed accusations.

"What did _i_ do?", Sanji calmly replies with his own question. Since the conforntation is happening already, with or without Sanji's consent, then why not let it all out?

"Huh! That's my line dumb cook! You are the one acting,,,"

Sanji doesn't let Zoro finish, he is tired, he is _so_ tired of all the unspoken questions festering inside him for days, all the anger and hurt flowing through his veins with every painful beat of his heart, he doesn't even register what he is saying anymore, he just opens the floodgate of his inner emotions and let it all flow without caring how much his weakness, his vulnerabilities reflects in them because does it even matter anymore? He was never anyone worthy in Zoro's life anyways. It doesn't matter what he thinks of him anymore.

"Why do _you_ hate me so much? What did _I_ do to deserve your contempt, your hatred so much Zoro? People who has been sailing with us for few days have much more place in your life than me, while me, _your nakama_ , you have nothing but indifference and hatred for. Do you even consider me your nakama? Would you if it wasn't for Luffy forcing you? Am i worthy enough in future-greatest-swordsman eyes to be even considered that?" Sanji tries to taunt but with his heart baring open and emotions pouring out of him like a damn waterfall it doesn't come out as such. His voice breaks in the end in a stuttered breath. Zoro's eye gets harder and harder with each question from Sanji spatting at his face and by the end of his tirade it's just like a solid black obsidian pool, reflecting no emotion, no inner thoughts, not even judgement or pity, just ice cold stare tracking Sanji's every little movement.

"Nothing to say, huh?" Sanji smirks, "Yah, that's what i figured. Doesn't change anything between us mosshead. Tomorrow i will kick your ass as always and we will do whatever it takes to make Luffy king of the pirates. I don't need your validation or approval, in fact i don't need anything from you so spare me all this fake pretense of caring and leave me be because we both know that you don't actually give a damn."

Sanji proceeds to move and is almost out of the door when a strong hand grabs his arm and forcefully drags him back to face the swordsman in the eye.

"Is that what you think? You really fucking believe i hate you?"

Sanji fails to understand Zoro's tone because it almost seems like he is hurt but that can't be, Sanji isn't important enough in Zoro's life to be able to hurt him so he doesn't answer, instead returns back his hard prodding stare with a confident one of his own. No one talks for a long time, just stare at each other with burning question of their own. It is Zoro who breaks the silence first with a smirk and Sanji's eyebrow raises comically in indignation.

"Che, you really are an idiot dartboard brow."

Sanji splutters. _This_ is what he gets in response to opening his heart and soul? No answer, no clarification, not even an acknowledgement, just an insult! Well what did he even expect from Zoro, He was about to kick his face through the galley wall and finally be done with this whole circus when he feels Zoro's hand travelling down slowly from his death grip on his arm, his touch almost caressing and finally pausing for a second around his wrist, then maneuvering to lace their finger together, back of his hand entirely covered by Zoro's slightly larger sweaty palm and Sanji's eyes widens in disbelief. He silently watches Zoro bringing their joint hand together in between them- _wait when did they get so much close_ \- and then he feels Zoro's warm skin and strong, rapid and erratic heartbeat under his palm. Zoro's hand holding him prisoner against his chest, pressing strongly enough to leave a handmark- Sanji's mark - against his skin and silently urging him to feel all the unsaid conversation between them through touch. Sanji's eyes frantically rises to search Zoro's face, to look into his eyes, to understand what exactly is happening when Zoro's warm breath washes over his lips. Zoro is leaning so close to him with his eye tightly closed that Sanji can count every little laugh line around his eyes, all the numerous almost invisible scars that adorns his face and the one clean almost surgical incision over his left eye, proof of his battle-hardened life and ironclad determination, can even count each eyelashes individually if he wants.

A breathy whisper leaves Sanji's lips in a question, "Zoro, what,,,"

Zoro's lips curve upwards slightly in a silent smile and Sanji can feel himself getting easily lost in that smile which somehow turns the one stoic face into something far more softer and vulnerable.

"For someone claiming and bragging the title of love-cook so loudly, you really don't understand shit, do you?"

Oh

_Oh_

Sanji stills, Zoro's hand tightens around him, pressing his hand more forcefully against his heart.

A long breathy sigh leaves his lips after a moment and with that- all the tension, all the coiling anger and confusing frustrations of his injured heart leaves him too. He leans forward closing his eyes and rests his forehead against the idiot marimo who has stiffened so hard that he is almost crushing Sanji's fingers in his palms and slightly brushes his nose with his. Sanji could feel the violent shudder that passed through Zoro's entire body the moment their forehead touched and he mentally takes notes of that. The ever composed swordsman isn't so unfeeling then, huh, who could have thought!

Sanji loses the track of time for how long they remained standing like that against the galley wall, forehead pressing, closed eyes, breathing in shared breath, Sanji's hand tracing the large ragged scar of Zoro's chest lightly, Zoro's thumbs softly rubbing a circular pattern over his own, not to be over dramatic but it felt like coming home after years of wandering aimlessly in the sea.

"I have the watch"

"mhm"

"I need to go mosshead."

"Then go"

"Let me go, Zoro."

"...never."

Sanji huffs an amused laugh, he knew mosses could be clingy but not to this extent. Well it's not as if he was trying very hard either.

"Come with me then."

Sanji pushes, softly bumping his forehead with Zoro's, eyes tracing over every inch of that handsome face carefully, imprinting this moment, this Zoro in his memory for eternity. Zoro's eye flutters open and Sanji's breath falters for a moment, he can't remember ever seeing that eye radiating such happiness and contentment in his life. Sanji pulls away his hand from under Zoro's only to grab it again, palm pressing against each other this time, fingers interlacing tight, and tugs it slightly, his eyes dancing with mischief.

"Come and i might reward you with a good bottle of sake too, along with my priceless companionship of course."

Zoro grins wide and Sanji mirrors the same. So this is what happiness feels like, huh?

"Yeh? well i think i can manage even _you_ if there's good sake."

Oh, the grasshead can tease back?! It's gonna be interesting, Sanji muses watching Zoro who in turn was watching him with such fondness in his eye that makes Sanji feeling like he is the center of his universe and judging by, may be- may be he is - a very important and fundamental part of Zoro's life and Sanji can't wait to show the idiot how important he is in his world too.

_._._._._._._._._._._._

"Ne Robin, what are they doing now?"

Nami asks sleepily, a large yawn escaping her lips. It's too late in the night and they have had a hectic few weeks, with the anxiety of what waiting for them in Dressrosa, Nami is just exhausted. All the extra tension between her two oblivious idiot crewmates also did nothing but added more fuel to her lethargy, she was very happy that finally, _fucking finally_ they talked and things are sorted now. She and Robin won't have to suffer silently sitting between two scorned lovers crackling with too much sexual frustration, not anymore. which she will take full advantage of from next morning after she finally had a good night's sleep. Seriously those two morons don't deserve a single second of Nami's time and they should pay with double interests for all the worry they have caused her and Robin.

Robin chuckles with her lips pressing, eyes closed and hand crossed over her chest, spying over her two nakamas from a far, only for tonight she will invade their privacy, she and Nami deserves to know the conclusion of one of the longest slowburn romance drama happening between the two most oblivious people on their ship, after all these time and after everything they have done.

"Well swordsman-san is very busy tracing cook-san's hands and face with his lips, if i didn't know any better i would say he was trying to eat him but since he is not a cannibal that is out of the question. But i am a little worried for cook-san, if his face gets any redder he might combust."

Nami groans, half asleep already, she doesn't get paid or well, earn enough for this shit.

"If we get attacked by enemies in the middle of the night because these two idiots were busy making out during watch i would personally make sure they don't pass their stupidity to next generation."

Robin snickers.

"I don't think if anyone dares to attack us tonight, we will even have time to get down from our bed let alone fight before swordsman-san cut absolutely everything and anything in little pieces. He doesn't seem to be in the mood for allowing anything to disturb him tonight."

And with a final glance at her love-struck nakamas, Robin lets her hands fall down in a disarray on bed and finally closes her eyes to sleep.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading, i really hope you enjoyed this little something that practically wrote itself, lol
> 
> kudos and comments are always very, VERY appreciated, have a good day/night!


End file.
